Roses in Winter
by AuthorAnomalous
Summary: Despite having existed for centuries, he had never come across anyone like her...a mortal, warm with life, and beautiful in a way he can't seem to forget. He'd give anything just to know her name...but he's a spirit, the harbinger of snow and ice; always moving, always alone. And while he knows there's no escaping fate, that won't keep him from trying to change it.
1. Prelude

What? New story? Yes. New story. I know, I haven't updated Bloodless in forever and I suck and I'm sorry. BUT, this idea happened and I couldn't help myself and I'm hoping yall forgive me. :D

Now, there is an actual plot behind this, and it's obviously winter themed (also partly inspired by the movie Rise of Guardians, but only to a certain extent). So, if you're willing to read this prologue of sorts, and tell me what you think or if you'd be at all interested in seeing where this is going, then, aside from being sincerely grateful, I will continue with further chapters. :) If no one's interested, which is probably a real possibility, then this was still fun to write and I'll just get on with my life...

_I strongly recommend you listen to_ "O Come, Emmanuel" by ThePianoGuys _while reading this...I listened to it non-stop when I typed this up, so...do it!_

Live. Laugh. Love. = Read. Enjoy. Review.

*Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. Story is.

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Roses in Winter

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_The first thing he was sure of was that he had no real memories of his own. What he remembered were only the most treasured moments from the lives of others, particularly mortals. Images of crisp white mornings, gentle twilight snowfalls, and the glowing stillness of winter nights spent beneath a full moon and a clear canopy of stars. Beautiful as they were, none belonged to him. They were only the memories collected across centuries, given to him, but altogether someone else's._

Treading silently through the knee-high layer of snow, he stepped into the forest of thin barren trees, heading deeper in no particular direction; moving, always moving.

_A sense of wandering plagued him day and night. In part it may have been his lack of personal memories that caused such restlessness. Not knowing who he was, or where he came from, or why he couldn't remember. Questions without answers, and for years he was a presence without purpose. A century had passed before finding any truth, but with it came little peace._

He saw her then. Coming to the edge of a small white-frosted clearing, he paused, sensing the faint warmth of a mortal heartbeat. Crimson gaze drifting across the open ground, he spotted her just beyond the tree line. She stood unmoving, her quiet breaths billowing in gentle clouds that faded quickly into the frigid night air. Wrapped in moonlight, she had her eyes closed, completely in her own world.

_He brought the snow. Wherever he went, cold and ice followed. Leaves abandoned branches, lakes grew thick and solid, and all but a few creatures stowed away in the comfort and warmth of hidden dens. Mortals seemed to both rejoice and curse the changes brought on by his presence. They bundled themselves with thick clothing, built large fires, and some even decorated their homes._

A strange and foreign warmth flickered inside his chest, and in an instant of impulsiveness, he took a step closer. To his surprise as well as hers, the resounding crunch of snow underfoot briefly interrupted the peace. Her head snapped around, a bright emerald gaze searching the trees for someone she couldn't find. He had never allowed any mortal to see or hear him, and yet something in her eyes made him wonder why.

_Children laughed joyously, entirely unaware of his presence. His eyes closed, he watched the foreign memory in fascination. The young mortals gathered snow into balls and hurled them at each other, and they lay on their backs, arms and legs spreading to and fro, indenting the soft white blanket beneath them. He observed all in silence, as if he had actually been there, just unseen and unheard._

Immediately the snow began to fall; an involuntary reaction on his part. The girl was momentarily distracted by it, her face lifting to catch the flakes as they drifted down from clouds neither had noticed approach. He felt then that he should leave. As impossible as it was, he was afraid she might see him. So, with one last glance, he memorized what he knew he could never forget. Short pink quills, enchanted emerald eyes, warm steady heartbeat…a memory all his own.

_Alone, lost in the memories of everyone else, he wandered year after year, as if directed by some unknown force. He was sometimes angry, sometimes confused, but mostly and always, he was alone; surrounded only by cold winds, deep snow, and hard ice. _

His name was Shadow. He was the spirit of Winter. And after that night, he was never alone again…

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	2. Chapter 1

First off, I was delightfully surprised at this story's positive reception! And I will do my best not to disappoint. :)

Secondly, THANK YOU to **RetroManiac**, **SweetMissVee**, **shadowsonlyangel**, **ShadowsAngel1**, **Myestica**, **ShadowEmpress76**, **Taria Robotnik**, **Maga Valkyria**, and **TwilighttheWolf **for your encouraging reviews! And thanks, as well, to everyone who added this story to their favorites/alerts!

Live. Laugh. Love. = Read. Enjoy. Review.

*Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. Story is.

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Roses in Winter

Chapter 1

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Amy looked back to the trees after a moment of reveling in the snowflakes that fell from what had once been a clear night sky. She did her best to see into the darkness, to find whatever had disturbed the silence, but with clouds now hovering between her and the moon, she was doubtful she'd find anything.

With a sigh that tumbled from her lips in a cascading puff, she tossed her gaze around the clearing before deciding to head home. It was almost midnight, and she could swear the temperature had dropped ten degrees since the snow had started falling again. Her scarf and coat were comfortably warm, but as she made her way further into the woods, a bitter, yet surprisingly gentle wind began seeping through her bundle of clothing.

Having moved from a climate that hardly ever saw temperatures below fifty, Amy struggled to keep her steps even as the snow seemed to grow steadily deeper. Where it had all come from she had no idea, but she couldn't remember the trek out being quite so difficult. Now almost up to her waist, she spent more time looking at where she would step next then at how quickly she was approaching the rocky bank ahead. By the time she realized her mistake, Amy was already slipping over the icy ledge, her hands frantically reaching for a hold that wasn't there.

Eyes sealed shut, she tensed her body in preparation for the biting shock of plunging into the river below. Only, the water never touched her, or if it did, she was too instantly numb to notice. It wasn't until she heard the crunch of snow overhead that she decided she was indeed still dangling above the torrent and, by some miracle, not drowning in it. Something had caught her…or was it someone? Kicking up her boots in the hopes of finding a foothold, her suspicions were confirmed when she felt the other's grip tighten around her wrists.

"Who's there?" She called over the river's din.

Her reply came in the form of a deep voice dancing on the wind. _Be still…_

Not having much of an alternative, she did as she was told. Over the fear and panic pounding in her ears, Amy heard the solid snap of ice from below, but before she could look down or wonder at the silence that had suddenly reclaimed the night, she felt the stranger's hands loosen their hold. With a yelp, Amy tried to wrap her frozen fingers around something solid.

_Trust me…_

This time the voice sounded closer, and she could have sworn a cool breath ghosted across her cheek. But how could she trust someone she couldn't even see? Amy, about to voice her concerns, watched in silent horror as she was gently lowered the few feet to the river below. Instead of being pulled beneath the violent current as she had anticipated, however, her boots touched down on solid, sturdy ice.

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He hadn't expected her to follow him. If he had, he wouldn't have allowed the snow to grow so deep, or the wind so cold. He was well aware that mortals had more difficulty with traversing snow and ice than he did, but he had never believed the girl would be put in so much danger because of it.

Shadow, seeing the ledge before she did, reached her in an instant. With just barely enough time, he caught her wrists in a loose hold, careful to avoid direct contact by touching only her coat sleeves. Somehow, deep down, he knew it was forbidden to step beyond his capacity as a spirit-a pure spectator of mortal matters, but for whatever reason he couldn't bring himself to regret having interfered. It was a repulsive thought to even just imagine the girl, young and innocent, falling into the dark, icy water while he did nothing but watch.

With an inward growl, he shook the image from his mind and refocused.

Adjusting for a better position, Shadow took a step back and was once again startled to hear the crunch of snow briefly interrupt the chaos. There was no doubt the girl heard it too, and if she could hear him, then there was a dangerous-yet oddly thrilling-chance she could see him as well. But that thought didn't have the opportunity to go any further. His grip on her was tapering, made weaker as she jerked to secure a foothold in the frozen earth, forcing Shadow to clutch more tightly at her wrists.

"Who's there?"

Her voice, heard for the first time, rang with such fear and confusion that the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could use his better judgment to stop them.

_Be still…_

She complied almost instantly, and Shadow found himself surprised yet grateful for it. He had hoped the assurance of his presence would calm her, and for the most part it appeared to have worked. Now that he was sure she wouldn't slip, Shadow freed one hand and directed it towards the river below. The air and water instantly reacted, the temperature of both plummeting well below zero. What had once been currents and rapids only moments ago, had now hardened into smooth, solid ice; returning the night to peaceful silence.

Satisfied that she was no longer in danger, Shadow loosened his hold and attempted to lower her to safety. Unaware of his actions on the river, the girl yelped, her hands struggling to grab onto him.

Hoping it would work a second time, and deciding he really had little else to lose, Shadow arranged himself on the ledge as only a spirit could, his face so close to hers he had to forcibly ignore the pull of her warmth.

_Trust me…_

He could not only see, but understand the doubt that flickered across her emerald gaze, and a part of him-the impetuous part-wanted to offer her further reassurance by revealing himself altogether. In the end, though certainly more disappointing, he decided to set her down without complicating things any more than he already had. The panic that clouded her exquisite features quickly ebbed into an expression of pure awe as her feet steadied themselves on the now very frozen river.

With eyes that were both confused and curious, she looked up at the ledge, most likely believing she'd find him there. But she wouldn't. If he did as was expected of him, she'd never find him; never see him, never again hear him, never even know he had been the one to save her. She would go on living, and he would go on existing, and that would be the end of it. But in that moment, as he watched her kneel and tentatively, yet with fascination, slide her fingertips across the ice, Shadow decided that he had never been more inclined to do everything he shouldn't.

The clouds shifted, and moonlight instantly flooded the frozen riverbed, illuminating the night once more and bringing Shadow back to his senses. Crimson gaze riveted on the girl as she stood, he felt the world around him fall away like snow.

"I'm not entirely sure what just happened," she spoke aloud, her eyes grazing him for the briefest of moments, "but thank you."

Shadow should have waited-should have followed her to ensure she arrived home safely, but all reason had suddenly fled his mind. Without telling them to, his feet carried him into the night; far away from the girl who made him think the most impossible thoughts.

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End file.
